Pavement markings (e.g., paints, tapes, and individually mounted articles) guide and direct motorists and pedestrians traveling along roadways and paths. Paint was a preferred pavement marking for many years. However, modern liquid pavement marking materials offer significant advantages over paint, such as increased visibility, retroreflectance, improved durability, and temporary and/or removable marking options.
Examples of modern pavement marking materials include, for example, thermoplastic pavement marking sheet materials, tapes, compositions and raiser pavement markers. Many thermoplastic pavement markings include maleic-modified rosin ester (MMRE) resins. C5 hydrocarbon resins are also commonly used in pavement markings. In fact, many current government pavement marking specifications around the globe require MMRE resins or C5 hydrocarbon resins.
Pavement markers made with liquid pavement marking materials may include optical elements such as glass beads or microspheres adhered to the pavement surface in order to provide improved retroreflectivity.